Minnesota fraud suspect arrested in Somalia after 4 years on the run, officials say

MINNEAPOLIS — An alleged leader of the largest pandemic-era fraud scheme in the country was arrested overseas after being on the run for more than four years, according to federal officials.

Abdikerm Eidleh, 43, was arrested in Mogadishu, Somalia, earlier this week in a daytime raid coordinated by both the FBI and Somali intelligence agencies. He was indicted in September 2022 as part of the sweeping $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud investigation.

"This is a big fish," Daniel Rosen, U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, told CBS News. "Eidleh was a key leader and was responsible for bribing and recruiting business to steal from the American taxpayer."

Rosen said Eidleh was "second in command" to Aimee Bock, the convicted ringleader of the scheme, who was just sentenced to more than 40 years in prison.

Investigators allege Eidleh personally collected $5 million in bribes and kickbacks after instructing restaurants and catering businesses to inflate receipts submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education for reimbursement. 

"This shows the global reach and outstretched arm of American law enforcement," said Christopher Dotson, FBI Special Agent in Charge at FBI Minneapolis. "Somalia is not the safe haven you may think it is."

So far prosecutors have charged 79 people, most of Somali descent, in the Feeding Our Future case. Of those, 66 have been convicted or pleading guilty. 

Dozens of others have also been charged in Minnesota in a range of alleged schemes to defraud taxpayer-funded social service programs, including childcare, housing and behavioral health.

Rosen previously told CBS News the total amount of fraud in Minnesota could top $1 billion.

"The chapter for Feeding Our Future might be closing, but we're still in the beginning of making sure we protect the American taxpayer," Rosen said